If you're getting ready for a software design course that focuses on Adobe Flash or the CS6 Web Tools suite, the textbook choice can feel like its own project. The four titles in front of you range from a $9.45 Flash-only workbook to a $49.99 Flash CS4 guide, and they differ by edition, condition, and how many applications they cover. Should you pick a dedicated Flash primer, a three-in-one CS6 guide, or a clean but older CS4 title? Here's a practical comparison.
Quick take
The most useful difference is coverage. Adobe Flash Professional CS6 Illustrated covers Flash only; Adobe Flash CS4 Revealed is also Flash only but on the older CS4 version. The two Adobe CS6 Web Tools titles bundle Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash into one book. If you need all three programs, the CS6 Web Tools books are the ones to watch. Condition-wise, the least expensive copy is Acceptable and may have highlighting, while the two CS6 Web Tools copies are Good and Very Good respectively. The CS4 guide is Very Good and the highest priced.
Listed price comparison
Here is how the four titles compare by listed price:
| Product | Listed price | Price bar |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Flash Professional CS6 Illustrated with Online Creative Cloud Updates | USD 9.45 | |
| Adobe CS6 Web Tools: Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash Illustrated with Online | USD 13.28 | |
| Adobe CS6 Web Tools: Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash Illustrated with | USD 14.87 | |
| Adobe Flash CS4 Revealed | USD 49.99 |
Decision matrix
- Flash-only coverage, lowest-priced listing → Adobe Flash Professional CS6 Illustrated
- Dreamweaver + Photoshop + Flash in one Good-condition book → Adobe CS6 Web Tools: Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash Illustrated with Online
- Dreamweaver + Photoshop + Flash with Very Good condition and unmarked pages → Adobe CS6 Web Tools: Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash Illustrated with
- Flash-only guide with clean pages, CS4 edition acceptable → Adobe Flash CS4 Revealed
Product notes
Adobe Flash Professional CS6 Illustrated with Online Creative Cloud Updates
This Flash-only title by Barbara M. Waxer gets you a New Edition of the CS6 workbook without covering Dreamweaver or Photoshop. It is the least expensive listing in this group, which makes it attractive if your class is built around Flash. The trade-off is condition: the copy is marked Acceptable, and the description mentions notable highlighting and margin notes, plus a former library book. You're getting a usable working copy, not a showpiece. If you're okay with visible wear and want to save the most on a single-application guide, this one does the job. Just don't expect pristine pages.
Adobe CS6 Web Tools: Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash Illustrated with Online
This Good-condition copy brings together all three CS6 applications in a single trade paperback. Authors Barbara Waxer, Sherry Bishop, and Chris Botello cover Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash together, which is ideal if your software design course touches more than one tool. The condition is Good, and the cover shows wear, particularly at corners and binding. That means the content is solid, but the exterior will look used. If your priority is broad coverage and you don't need a pristine book, this is the cheaper of the two CS6 Web Tools options.
Adobe CS6 Web Tools: Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash Illustrated with
This is the Very Good-condition companion to the previous title, with the same three authors and the same New Edition scope across Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash. Pages are unmarked, which is a clear plus if you want clean margins for notes. It costs more than the Good-condition copy, but you're paying for an improved exterior and unmarked pages. If you're choosing between the two CS6 Web Tools books, the price difference buys a noticeably cleaner copy. The trade-off is that you're still getting the same content, so your decision comes down to how much condition matters.
Adobe Flash CS4 Revealed
James E. Shuman's Flash CS4 guide is in Very Good condition with clean interior pages and only minor cover wear. That makes it the most polished-looking copy in this set. But it's also the highest-priced listing, and the title shows that it's a CS4-era book rather than CS6. If you're working with Adobe Flash CS4 software or your instructor is using that edition, this is a solid, clean reference. If your course is built around CS6, you'd get a better version match from the CS6 Illustrated title, even if that copy is rougher around the edges.
Final recommendation
If your syllabus is centered on Adobe Flash alone and budget is the main factor, the Acceptable-copy Flash Professional CS6 Illustrated is the practical pick. If you need Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash in one book, the Very Good CS6 Web Tools copy gives you the cleanest pages without moving to the top of the price range. The Good CS6 Web Tools copy is a reasonable middle path if cover wear doesn't bother you. And the Adobe Flash CS4 Revealed should be reserved for a class that specifically uses Flash CS4, since you'd be paying the highest price for an earlier version.
